Toy water pistol



April 15, 1969 PEREmA ET AL 3,438,547

TOY WATER PI STOL Filed Dec 29. 1967 M w a) Q 46 FIG. 3

III

ATTORNEYS A. PEREIDA ET AL 3,438,547

April 15, 1969 TOY WATER PISTOL Sheet ,2 of 2 Filed Dec. 29, 1967 5 z! 5 56/ k Z! *4 f ,z; a; 14 M If 7 M 24 50 i fz 35 34c INVENTORS #4074 fires/0,4

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ATTORNEYJ' United States Patent 3,438,547 TOY WATER PISTOL Anita Pereida, New Canaan, Conn., and Julian Liberman, Scarsdale, N.Y., assignors to Anita Per Limited, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Dec. 29, 1967, Ser. No. 694,521 Int. Cl. F41b 9/00 US. Cl. 222-79 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A toy Water pistol having an internal rotating mechanism which cooperates with the trigger in only one position of rotation to eject a stream of water and otherwise fires blanks; this functioning being arranged to occur, for all practical purposes, on an unknown random basis which greatly contributes to the play value of the toy gun used by itself or as part of a childs game.

The present invention relates generally to improvements in a toy water pistol, and more specifically, to a toy water pistol which functions in a novel manner contributing greatly to its play value when used alone or as part of a childs game.

There is a constant demand for childrens games and toys, and considerable effort is expended to satisfy this demand with products that, by their appearance, mode of operation, or both, have the requisite play value for commercial success. The toy water pistol hereof has the novel attributes of being used by itself, as a conventional water pistol, and also as part of a game; and in both uses has significant play value due to a novel mode of operation. Presently known toy water pistols do not lend themselves to use as part of a game and also are conventional in operation.

Broadly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved toy water pistol having a novel mode of operation contributing to its usefulness as a toy per se and also as a part of a game. Specifically, it is an object to provide a toy water pistol which, by design, is not operated with each trigger manipulation and thereby has an element of suspense in its mode of operation. This is readily embodied in the playing concept of many possible childrens games as well as adding significantly to the play value of the gun when used by itself.

A toy Water pistol demonstrating objects and advantages of the present invention includes a pump, at one end, having a main pump plunger and an internal rotary mechanism advanced by trigger manipulation one position of rotation at a time. Mounted on the rotary mechanism is an auxiliary pump plunger which in one position of rotation aligns with the main pump plunger and thus enables the operation of the pump during the pivotal traverse of the trigger. At other times, however, when the main and auxiliary pump plungers are not aligned, trigger manipulation does not operate the pump.

The above brief description, as well as further objects, features and advantages of the present invention, will be more fully appreciated by reference to the following detailed description of a presently preferred, but nonetheless illustrative embodiment in accordance with the present invention, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a toy pistol according to the present invention rotatably mounted on a base;

FIG. 2 is a sectioned elevational view, on an enlarged scale, of the toy pistol illustrating internal structural features thereof;

FIG. 3 is a rear elevational view, in section taken on line 33 of FIG. 2, illustrating further structural features;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 2 taken in section on line 4-4 of FIG. 3, but is restricted to the internal operating elements of the toy gun and illustrates the trigger of the gun after movement from its cocked position into its operative position actuating the water pump of the FIG. 5 is a sectioned elevational view similar to FIG. 4 illustrating the functioning of the mechanisms of the gun during return of the trigger to its cocked position;

FIG. 6 is a sectioned elevational view of the pump-end of the gun illustrating the filling of the pump with water; and

FIG. 7 is a front elevational view of the purnp-end of the gun taken in the direction of the arrows along line 77 of FIG. 5.

Reference is now made to the drawings, and in particular to FIG. 1, wherein a toy gun 10 demonstrating objects and advantages of the present invention is shown mounted on a support 12 rotatably mounted on a base 14 and, as such, serving as part of a childs game. The playing sequence of this game is as follows: the gun 10 is rotated into a position in which the pump-end 16 is directed towards one of the players; another player then actuates the trigger 18; the trigger 18 can either operate pump 16 or not operate this mechanism depending upon the condition of the internal mechanism of the gun 10, all as will now be explained in detail. That is, in some instances the trigger 18 will be effective in causing the pump 16 to harmlessly eject water at a player and, at other times, is not effective in achieving this result; this functioning of the trigger 18 being determined on a strictly random basis thereby greatly adding to the suspense of operating the water gun 10 and thus contributing to the play value of the game incorporating the water gun 10 as a part thereof.

Since the essence of the invention resides in the construction of and functioning of the water gun 10, the present description is appropriately confined to these aspects of the gun 10 as clearly illustrated in FIGS. 2-7, to which attention is now specifically directed. The water gun 10 includes a housing formed by cemented halves 10a defining a front internal chamber 10b and, at its opposite end, is shaped as a conventional revolver hand grip 10c.

As best shown in FIG. 2, a member 20 pivotally mounted within the hollow hand grip 10c, as at 20a, mounts the gun on the support rod 12.

The trigger 18 is pivotally mounted, as at 18a, at the juncture between the hand grip 10c and the front housing section 10a and is normally maintained under a spring bias in the inclined cocked position as illustrated in FIG. 2. The user of the gun 10, however, by squeezing the trigger 18 against the hand grip in the usual manner, actuates the same from its cocked position into its operative position, as illustrated in FIG. 4. In its operative position an upper trigger lateral projection 18b is brought into physical abutment with an internal rotary mechanism 22 which is operatively disposed within the internal chamber 10b. Upon release of the trigger 18, a portion of the rotary mechanism 22 which is engaged with a trigger lower lateral projection 18c returns the trigger 18 to its cocked position of FIG. 5.

Turning now to a more detailed description of the rotary mechanism 22, this mechanism includes a horizontally oriented shaft 22a appropriately journalled for rotation, as at opposite ends, by pins 24 straddled between the two housing halves 10a. Integrally formed on the shaft 22a is a radial disc 22b having walls defining a chamber 220. As is perhaps best shown in FIGS. 3, 5, appropriately disposed for axial movement in one section of the chamber 22c is an auxiliary pump plunger 26 normally seated under bias of a helical spring 28 against a circumferential projection or seat 30 and movable therefrom through a power stroke A by the trigger upper projection 18b in response to manipulation of the trigger 18 by the user of the gun.

Shaft 2.2a has integrally formed thereon a driven gear 32 which, as best shown in FIGS. 2, 5 and 7, is in meshing engagement with a driving gear 34 having -a central opening 34a accommodating the shaft 22a. A helical spring 36 disposed about the end of -a shaft 32a is seated between the pins 34 and the driving gear 34 and is effective in urging the gears 34, 32 into meshing engagement. The cooperating teeth of the respective gears 32, 34, herein collectively designated 38, include, as best shown in FIGS. 2, 5, inclined walls 38a and straight walls 38b. As gen erally understood, this construction of the teeth 38 enables the driving gear 34 to drive the driven gear in only clockwise rotation when the straight walls 38b engage each other; in the opposite or counterclockwise direction, the inclined walls 38a merely slip past each other and fail to make a driving connection. Moreover, the spacing of the teeth 38 are such that the rotary mechanism or member 22 has preselected positions of rotation including one position of rotation in which the auxiliary pump plunger 26 occupies an operative position in the path of pivotal movement of the trigger lateral projection 18 which occurs during pivotal movement of the trigger 18 about the pivot 18a.

Formed integrally on the driving gear 34 is a member 34b having an opening which, along one section, serves as a cam surface 340. As best shown in FIG. 3, this cam surface 340 is engaged by the trigger lower projection 18c which functions as a cam. More particularly, one end 36a of the helical spring 36 is seated, as at 40, in -a shoulder formed in the housing a while the other spring end 3611 is connected to and is movable with the cam member 34b. Thus, upon manipulation of the trigger 18, the trigger cam projection 18c is effective, by camming engagement with the cam surface 34c in actuating the driving gear and member 34, 34b, respectively, through rotation from its full line position into its phantom line position as illustrated in FIG. 3. As previously noted, this counterclockwise rotation of the driving gear 34 does not result in driving rotation of the driven gear 32. When the trigger is released, however, the compression produced in the spring 36 by movement of the spring end 36b toward the member 34b unwinds the spring 36 and is effective to power the driven gear 32 in rotation and thus advance the rotary member 22 into its next successive position of rotation.

The pump 16, as best illustrated in FIG. 4, includes a main pump plunger 16a biased by a spring 42 such that a bearing surface 16b at the base of the main pump plunger 16a physically abuts against the rotary mechanism 22. Thus, when the auxiliary pump plunger 26 and the main pump plunger 16a are aligned with each other, as depicted in FIG. 4, manipulation of the trigger 18 is effective in actuating, via the aligned pistons 26 and 16a, the pump piston 24. Actuation of the pump piston 24 results in the unseating of the ball valve 46 from the outlet valve 48, the closing of the inlet valve 50 by the other ball valve 52, and the ejection of water from the pump outlet opening 54.

Upon the release of the trigger 18, the spring 42 returns the piston 44 to its starting position, ball valves 46, 52 resume their seated positions, and the water is again charged into the pump chamber 56, all as is clearly illustrated in FIG. 5. To replenish the water supply, use is preferably made of a squeeze bottle B to introduce water into the pump 16 through an inlet opening 60 having a removable plug 58.

What is claimed is:

1. A toy water pistol comprising a housing defining an internal chamber, a pump including a main pump plunger operatively arranged with said main pump plunger extending into said intern-a1 chamber, rotary means having plural positions of rotation journalled for rotation within said internal chamber adjacent said main pump plunger, an auxiliary pump plunger operatively arranged on said rotary means so as to align with said main pump plunger in at least one said position of rotation thereof preparatory to actuating said main pump plunger, and trigger means operatively arranged to rotate said rotary means through one position of rotation at a time and to operate said auxiliary pump plunger when in said one position of rotation effective to actuate said main pump plunger.

2. A toy water pistol as defined in claim 1 wherein said rotary means includes a disc having a peripheral edge extending through said housing and accessible for causing manual rotation of said rotary means to thereby contribute to the actuation of said main pump plunger on a random basis.

3. A toy water pistol as defined in claim 2 wherein said rotary means includes a driven gear and said trigger means a driving gear in meshing engagement with each other, said meshing teeth of said driven and driving gears having a circumferential spacing effective to provide said plural positions of rotation of said rotary means including said one position of rotation thereof wherein said auxiliary pump plunger is in alignment with said main pump plunger.

4. A toy water pistol comprising a housing defining an internal chamber, a pump including a main pump plunger operatively arranged with said main pump plunger extending into said internal chamber, rotary means having plural positions of rotation journalled for rotation within said internal chamber adjacent said main pump plunger, an auxiliary pump plunger operatively arranged on said rotary means so as to align with said main pump plunger in only one said position of rotation preparatory to actuating said main pump plunger, a trigger means on said housing, cooperating driving and driven gears in meshing engagement with each other operatively arranged on said trigger means and on said rotary means to power said rotary means in rotation, said driving and driven gears having a cooperating cam surface and camming member arranged thereon to provide rotation of said rotary means one position of rotation at a time, said trigger means being operatively arranged to cause said auxiliary pump plunger in said one position of rotation thereof to actuate said main pump plunger.

5. A toy water pistol as defined in claim 4 wherein said rotary means includes a disc having a peripheral edge extending through said housing and accessible for causing manual rotation of said rotary means to thereby contribute to the actuation of said main pump plunger on a random basis.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,880,354 10/ 1932 Mueller 2*2279 2,856,863 10/1958 Folley 103153 2,915,221 12/1959 Dillon 222- 79 3,142,200 7/ 1964 Stillman et a1 2 22- 79 3,318,482 5/1967 Voce 222--79 WALTER SOBIN, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 103-15 3 

